Cllr Maria Coward said: ‘I am not the type of woman who will sit quietly’
The Lord Mayor of Hull, Cllr Maria Coward, pictured in the formal Mayoral robes
The Lord Mayor of Hull has quit the city council’s Liberal Democrat group, blaming the behaviour of party colleagues.
Cllr Maria Coward, who has the ceremonial role as Lord Mayor of Hull and Admiral of the Humber, took to Facebook over the weekend to make clear she has resigned as a Lib Dem member with immediate effect and has chosen to leave the local Lib Dem group in Hull too.
“This is a decision I have not made easily, but it is the right decision for my health and mental wellbeing as well as for my family,” her Facebook statement revealed.
The lengthy post did not make any specific allegations but made clear her frustration with the local Lib Dems. In the social media statement she makes clear that she now wants her voice to be heard.
Cllr Coward has been contacted for comment. On her social media she states: “I am not the type of woman who will sit quietly.”
Her post finishes with a determined comment: “For now, this is all I will say. I wanted to leave with no song and dance but members’ behaviour has left me with no choice and now I’m mad, really really mad. Nobody will ever silence me again!”
A Hull Lib Dem spokesperson explained a meeting between Cllr Coward and the group had already taken place and they were hopeful of a constructive working relationship over the coming years.
He said: “Our team worked hard to secure Cllr Coward’s re-election in May this year, and then nominated her to be Lord Mayor, so we were surprised and saddened to discover that she had decided to leave. We met with her on Monday to understand first-hand any concerns she wanted to raise. We hope to have a professional and constructive relationship with her in her Mayoral role going forward.”
Political figures from around Hull have reacted with a mixture of surprise and sympathy. Cllr Haroldo Herrera-Richmond, secretary of the Labour Group and former ward colleague to Cllr Coward, said: “I have known Maria for a long time and have always felt that she is a committed public servant. As a former ward colleague of hers, I had a positive working relationship with her and was impressed by her dedication to her local community. I, and all in the Labour Group, wish Maria the best after what must have been a difficult decision to make.”
A Hull Labour spokesperson said the concerns Cllr Coward raised through her resignation demand a serious response from Hull City Council’s Lib Dem leadership. Cllr Sharon Hofman, Deputy Leader of the Labour group, expressed her concerns, saying: “No woman in politics should have to experience this kind of treatment. Cllr Mike Ross needs to address these concerns urgently. He has questions to answer about what kind of behaviour is being allowed by his party here in Hull.”
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A Reform UK post on Facebook reacted with shock at Cllr Coward’s post. It stated: “Since we were all elected in May, Maria has come across as someone who is strong-willed and fiercely independent, so it is beyond concerning that what went on in that group affected her mental health and pushed her out of it.”
Cllr Coward was installed as the Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of Kingston upon Hull and Admiral of the Humber in June of this year. She is due to serve in the role until May 2027 and her resignation from the local Lib Dem group is not thought to affect her serving this full term.
When she was appointed as Lord Mayor at a ceremony in the Guildhall, Cllr Coward described it as the ‘the honour of a lifetime’ and said: “I will give this role my all in the coming year. I am so passionate about our home and the communities in it, and I’m ready to hit the ground running.”
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